Fleas

Treatment & prevention

Beyond the obvious fact that a flea infestation is unpleasant, fleas also pose various health risks to you and your pets.

Flea Allergic Dermatitis: Some animals are more sensitive than others to flea bites. When your pets are bitten, intense itching occurs, causing them to continuously scratch and chew. This irritation can lead to major skin infections in some pets.

Tapeworm infection (Dipylidium Caninum): Flea larvae can become infected with tapeworm eggs. If your pet eats an infected flea, it can become host to this parasite. If your pet has fleas, you should also make sure they are treated for tapeworms.

Anaemia: Fleas feed on blood, so if there are enough fleas present, it is possible for your pet to lose enough blood to become anaemic. Small puppies and weak or sickly dogs are especially at risk. If not caught soon enough, a pet can easily die or suffer other medical complications as a result of anaemia.

A female flea can lay up to 40-50 eggs per day for around 50 days, which means that in her lifetime she will produce over 2,000 eggs!

Treatment

1.Treat your pet with a veterinary-licensed flea product

There are various application methods available in order to keep your pet flea-free, including spot-ons, tablets and collars. Some products have a dual purpose and will cover for other parasites, including worms and ticks. If you are unsure which product to go for, please ask one of our nurses who will be happy to devise a suitable preventative programme. As many of our products are only licensed for Veterinary use, by law your pet will need to be seen on a yearly basis by a Veterinary Surgeon. Here at Lowesmoor House Vets, we offer a free yearly flea & worming check to ensure that your pet is receiving the correct treatment.

2.Treat all other dogs and cats in the household at the same time

Remember - only give your pet flea treatment that has been recommended for them. Products suitable for one species may not be suitable for another e.g. some dog flea treatments contain permethrin, an insecticide that is safe for dogs but highly toxic to cats. Care should be taken when using permethrin-based products in a cat household - cats cuddling up to permethrin treated dogs can also die from the toxic effects.

3.Treat the environment

Clean your pet’s bedding regularly and vacuum furniture, floors and skirting boards to help destroy fleas at each stage of their lifecycle (fleas can survive without a host for many months). Household sprays are also available if you have an infestation problem and these in general will last 12 months.